Summer of Change
by Kasamari
Summary: After the challenges and changes of the first year of high school, Toph and her friends are going to enjoy a well deserved summer vacation! AU Taang, Zutara, Sukka. Sorry, no bending. Continuation of "Gradual Changes."
1. Summer Wedding

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar

Chapter 1

Summer Wedding

"I can't believe how nervous I am," Suki said as Azula put the finishing touches on her gown. "I mean, I thought I'd be a lot more calm than this. We've been together so long, you know?"

"It's perfectly natural to be nervous about getting married," Azula said. "At least that's what I've been told. I suppose the best thing to do is remember that the two of you have been living together as a family for a long time now, and this is really just the official stuff."

"Official stuff has never made me shake like this," Suki laughed. "I almost had to ask for help to put my makeup on. How does it look by the way?"

"It's fine," Azula answered without looking. She already knew that the pale white powder was evenly coated and that the red paint was perfect over Suki's eyes. Suki was just as much a perfectionist at this sort of thing as Azula was after all. "You might want to consider tripping on your way out there though. It's probably the only way your idiot soon-to-be-husband will be able to save face. You should have seen him putting on his suit earlier."

"That bad?"

"This is Sokka we're talking about."

"That bad."

Suki finally began to laugh. Azula had this gift for putting things into perspective at someone else's expense. This was a big moment in Suki's life, and she was glad that Azula would be there to share it with her. Since the time that Azula had come to stay with her and her fiancé, Suki had begun to think of Azula as the sister she never had. Granted she was usually cold and indifferent about nearly everything, but it was times like now that Suki was glad to have her.

Just then, there was a light knock on the door. Before either of the girls could utter a sound, the door cracked open just a bit and a voice came through the opening.

"Everyone dressed in there?"

"Come on in, Mom," Suki answered.

An older looking woman with long, caramel colored hair came in and stared at Azula and Suki. Along with her was a man that Azula knew was Suki's father. She was his spitting image from his eyes to his strong yet gentle presence. Azula took a step off to the side as Suki's mother walked towards them. The two of them had been popping into Sokka and Suki's home unannounced ever since their arrival a little more than a week ago and Azula had long since learned not to bother trying to tell them Suki was busy.

"You look absolutely marvelous," the woman beamed. "The dress does look just a little tight though."

"Mother, it's fine."

"No no no. It should be more loose around your legs and longer too. It's supposed to be elegant, not sexy."

"And why, pray tell, can't it be both?" Azula asked.

Suki's mother turned her eyes on Azula with an awe struck look on her face. Azula read Suki's face and saw the signs of strain as she tried to hold back her laughter. Her mother on the other hand had no signs of restraint whatsoever. Azula and her mother had gotten off on the wrong foot since day one, and things did not look like they were going to be any different today.

"And just who might you be to comment on my daughter's wedding dress?"

"In case you have forgotten, I made the dress," Azula replied sharply. "To Suki's figure, personality, and request. Do you have an issue with that?"

Suki's mother opened her mouth to answer, but Azula cut her off.

"Good. Now if you would go take your seats, we will be heading out there shortly."

Suki's father pulled his wife away and guided her back towards the door. As he ushered her out, he closed the door behind her and turned to face his daughter.

"You look beautiful," he said. "And thank you, Azula, for taking such good care of my little girl."

"Dad," Suki sighed. "Don't you think this qualifies me as not being a little girl anymore?"

The man placed his hands on his daughter's shoulders. He stared deeply and lovingly into her eyes even as his began to mist and tear. His smile was small, but it was just as genuine and full of love as what he said next.

"You may not be _a_ little girl anymore, but you will always be _my_ little girl."

He stroked her hair out of her face with a strong hand and pet her head gently so as not to undo the style that Azula had put it up in. Had it not been for the makeup on her face, Suki was sure he would have kissed her head like he used to when she was small. It took almost everything she had not to cry as he wished her luck and followed after her mother.

"So?" Azula asked, turning her to face the mirror. "Do you think you're ready?"

Suki was at a complete loss for words. Even after what her mother had said, Suki thought that the dress was wonderful. Every bit as beautiful as she ever dreamed it could have been. Without a word she turned and hugged Azula tightly.

"It's perfect," she said, still choking back the tears.

"If you ruin your make up by crying now, I'm not helping you fix it," Azula said flatly. "And stop hugging me. You're going to wrinkle all of my hard work."

Suki laughed again as she released her friend. Azula rubbed her hands down Suki's front to straighten out the creases and wrinkles she had warned against and then smiled as well.

"Here's hoping this goes better than his proposal," Suki said as she walked towards the door.

"Not likely," Azula whispered, remembering the gravy disaster that Suki had told her about. "At least the buffet table is going to be in the other room."

- - - -

Sokka stood nervously at the head of the room begging his knees to stop shaking. His father and sister stood at his side whispering words of encouragement to him, but he could not hear anything over the sound of his own heart beating in his ears. Any second now, Suki was going to walk down that aisle and stand with him. After that, he would be her husband and she would be his wife. Even though things were going to stay the same, everything was about to change. His head was starting to hurt.

"Why does it feel like this day is never gonna end?" he asked no one in particular.

It was then that he felt her enter. He turned his head to look down the aisle at his bride-to-be. Azula had outdone herself with the dress. Suki just seemed to be radiating beauty as she made her way towards him with Azula in tow. Sokka's head pounded louder and louder until finally she came to stand next to him, and then everything fell silent. He could not hear the words of the holy man as he began the ceremony, or the sounds of the crowd of family and friends behind him. The only thing that registered in his mind at all was Suki's smiling face.

After a few minutes, the initial shock of the the holy man then took hold of both Sokka and Suki's hands and placed them together in front of him. Sokka was not too familiar with the traditions of Suki's people, but he had agreed to follow their wedding customs. The man then gently wrapped a long red ribbon around them and tied it loosely over their clasped hands.

"May the spirits watch over and bless this union. Just as the ribbon now binds your hands together, let it also strengthen the bond that brought your two souls together. May your love for each other know no age and grow ever greater as you travel together through this life."

Sokka and Suki turned to face each other and the emotions began to flow. Sokka did not know why, but he felt that he should say something. Staring into the face of his wife, his heart began to stir until finally the words found him.

"Suki, you know how bad I am at talking about how I feel," he said. "I can't really wax poetic, or even pick out a good love song. Instead, from here on out I'm gonna live my life showing you every day just how much I love you."

With those words hanging in her heart, Suki leaned forward and shared her first kiss with Sokka as husband and wife. In that kiss she felt all of her hopes and dreams for their future suddenly becoming more and more possible. She could see their home filled with precious memories and accomplishments. She could see their family so full of love and happiness as it grew over the years. It was all so beautiful that she simply could not help but cry.

When Suki pulled away from her husband she laughed. Along with the vibrant red lipstick that now rested on his lips, there was a long, pale smear of mixed white and red makeup on one side where her tears had brushed his cheek. Lifting his hand to his cheek, Sokka sighed when he discovered the wet powder. Then Suki saw the flash of inspiration in his eyes as he grinned. He bent down and pressed his lips to hers again. When he pulled back with that smile on his face, the entire room filled with laughter.

"Now I have one on each side," he said triumphantly as he pointed out the matching makeup streaks on either side of his face.

- - - -

Aang sat down in the banquet room of the hall the Bei Fongs had rented for Sokka and Suki's wedding. He could not help but watch the newlyweds as they danced and talked merrily with everyone present. For the first time that he could remember, Aang did not want to join in on the fun. He preferred to just sit on the sidelines with Toph as she kicked her legs under the table. She was thinking about something. Just as he was about to ask her what was on her mind, she spoke.

"Hey, Aang," she said. "Do you think we'll ever be like that?"

"Like what?" he asked.

"I mean like those two," Toph replied. "The way everyone can just tell how in love they are. Even I can tell just by being in the same room as them. The perfect picture of a happily married couple."

"Zuko says 'happily married' is an oxymoron," Aang said with a smile and laugh. Toph smiled to him. "I can't say that we're going to be like them, but I can tell you that I love you."

"Does that mean that you'd marry me?" Toph asked, raising an eyebrow. Aang stammered over his words as he began to blush furiously. Toph felt his pulse become erratic as he tried to form an answer. "That's good enough, Twinkle Toes. For now."

"What are you two doing over here all by yourselves?" Katara asked as she and Zuko came to join them.

"There's a party going on and Aang's not making himself the center of attention?" Zuko joked. "What's up?"

"We're just talking about the trip tomorrow is all," Toph answered. "Kuzon's got me and Ty Lee all packed and ready. How about you guys?"

"All set for some summer time fun!" Aang replied.

"Same here," Katara chimed in.

"I don't know about Azula, but I'm ready," Zuko added. "How long are we going to be gone anyway?"

"I was thinking about a month," Toph said. "I haven't decided yet."

"I can hardly wait to get out to the beach!" Katara said. "This is going to be my last big vacation before college, so I'm really going to cut loose!"

"I can't wait to see that," Toph laughed. Between tormenting Twinkle Toes about marriage and hearing about Sugar Queen letting loose, this trip was shaping up to be the most entertaining summer of her life.


	2. Road Trip

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar

Chapter 2

Road Trip

Aang wiped his weary eyes in a vain attempt to keep sleep at bay. Six o' clock in the morning was not his ideal time for waking up on a summer morning, but Kuzon had insisted on an early start for the trip. He had said that it was nearly a seven hour drive to Toph's summer home. Seven hours. Stuck inside a car. Not fun. Aang leaned up against one of the two cars that would be carrying them to their destination as his head began to droop.

"Hey!" Zuko yelled. "A little help would be nice!"

Aang's eyes shot open just in time to see a duffel bag flying at his head. Zuko and Azula were loading their things into the trunk looking perfectly awake and ready for the day. Aang only felt more tired as he watched them moving around so energized and raring to go. He dragged himself to the back of the car and dropped the duffel bag lazily onto the pile before closing the trunk and resting his head on the warming steel.

"Why aren't you helping?" Azula asked Toph who was sitting impatiently in the car.

"Well, I would but . . ." Toph paused a moment to think. "I got nuthin'."

"You're lazy?" Zuko offered.

"Yeah, that'll work," Toph replied with a smile.

"Okay everyone," Kuzon said once he made sure everything was packed and ready. "The first thing we need to decide is who is driving the other car."

"I'll do it!" Toph joked.

"Right," Katara smiled. "I'd like to live long enough to enjoy this summer vacation, so how about no?"

"And here I thought you wanted to let loose and have fun," Aang laughed.

"I think Tophy would be a great driver," Ty Lee grinned.

"As fun as that sounds, how about I drive?" Zuko offered.

Kuzon nodded his approval before tossing the keys in Zuko's direction, but just as the keys were about to reach his hand, Katara ripped them from the air.

"I'm driving," she said. It was not an offer, nor a suggestion.

"Sure you're up to driving that long?" Azula smirked.

"I'll be fine, thank you," Katara replied.

"The next order of business is to decide who is going in which vehicles," Kuzon said as though he did not already know.

"I'm with Daddy and Tophy!" Ty Lee squealed as she ran for the front seat of the car Toph was waiting in.

"Twinkle Toes is back here with me," Toph said.

"What if I wanna go with Katara?" Aang asked.

"Get your scrawny butt in here!" Toph ordered with a smile.

"Hey!" Aang protested. "My butt is not scrawny!"

"There is room for one more if you like, Miss Azula," Kuzon offered.

"No thank you," she replied. "I'd rather not get stuck in the backseat with those two."

"So you're with us then," Katara smiled. "Great! You and I can get in some female bonding time!"

Azula looked from Katara's smiling face to the backseat that Toph and Aang were now sitting in. Why was she being faced with so many "two evils" decisions lately? And why did they all end with her choosing the option with her brother?

"Everything is decided then," Kuzon said. "Shall we be on our way?"

Aang could not remember the last time he was so happy to get into a car. He pulled himself up into the back seat and took a quick glance around. It was small, but plenty large enough for him to lay on his side if he kept his feet on the floor. There was only one problem: no pillow. He looked over at Toph who already had her headset in and was nodding her head to the music playing in her ears. He glanced at her lap and then back to her face. With a smile, he lowered his head into her lap and placed his hand on her leg.

"What do you think you're doing, Twinkle Toes?" she asked.

"Shh," he moaned. "Sleepy."

Aang heard Toph laugh lightly before he felt her hand start stroking his head. A dreamy sort of smile crossed his face as he nuzzled deeper into her lap. If this was what the seven hours in the car were going to be like, he was pretty sure he could deal with it.

"Aw, they're so cute and mushy," Ty Lee squealed quietly. "Look, Daddy."

"I do not think that the driver should be looking in the backseat, sweetheart," Kuzon replied. "Since it seems like they are going to be sleeping for a while, tell me how things are going."

"What things?" his daughter asked.

"How about things with the young Master Zhu. The quiet one."

"You mean Rou?" Ty Lee giggled. "What makes you think that we've even seen each other?"

"Ty Lee."

"Okay okay," she smiled. "I guess you could say things are going well. He wants to come visit me at school next year."

"And what did you tell him?" Kuzon asked.

"Oh, Daddy, relax. Rou's a good guy. The kind of guy that you bring home to meet your parents."

"Is your relationship that serious?" The clear surprise and shock in her father's voice made Ty Lee laugh.

"Daddy! We haven't even really dated yet!"

"But you just said--"

"I was giving you an idea of what kind of person he was, you goof," Ty Lee giggled. "Out of all the guys I've ever dated, Rou is the one you would like the best. Trust me."

"That is not much of a statement to go off of," Kuzon said. "I have not liked any of the boys you have dated."

"That's just because you're jealous," Ty Lee said with a grin. "You don't have to worry though. No guy could ever replace my Daddy!"

To emphasize her statement, Ty Lee leaned over and gave her father a gentle kiss on the cheek. He only smiled as he reached over and patted the top of her head.

"And you said we were the mushy ones," Toph said from the backseat.

- - - -

The silence of the car was beginning to grate on Katara's nerves. She had to say something. She had to get Zuko and Azula talking. They had already been driving for two hours and neither one of them had said a word. She had to break the ice some how.

"Hey, Azula, what's campus life like?" she asked.

"Only a little less annoying than living with Dumb-Dumb," Azula answered.

"Would you stop calling me that?" Zuko asked irritatedly from the front seat.

"Maybe when you stop answering to it," Azula returned with a snide smile.

"But don't you go out and have fun?" Katara continued. "Aren't there things like cafés and stores and other places like that?"

"Of course there are," Azula replied. "Just none that I would have wanted to go to."

"Well what kind of place would you want to go to?"

"Somewhere that people wouldn't ask me any annoying questions."

"You don't have to be rude," Zuko told her.

"Please don't fight you two," Katara said. "This is supposed to be a vacation. You know, fun. What about guys?"

"What about them?"

"Yeah, Katara," Zuko echoed. "What about them?"

"You have to have met some interesting men while you were at school, right?" Katara hinted. "Maybe one that caught your eye? A romantic interest maybe? Come on, tell me."

"The only man that I have ever met that got any of my attention at all was your brother," Azula replied. "And I would hardly call that a romantic interest."

"And yet you still followed him home," Zuko said.

Azula leaned forward and struck her older brother in the back of his head. Reaching back over his seat, Zuko flicked Azula fiercely in the forehead with his index finger. Before he could turn around, however, Azula took hold of his arm and smacked him in the side of the head.

"Stop it!" Katara yelled. "Can't you two be nice to each other for one car ride?"

"I was being nice," Azula said. "I didn't poke him his good eye, did I?"

"Look," Katara said, pointing through the windshield. "Kuzon's pulling into that rest stop. Maybe with some food in your stomachs, you two will be able to get along a little better."

Katara pulled the car in closely behind Kuzon's and allowed one of the rest stop attendants to begin fueling the vehicle and wiping down the windshield. She pulled a few dollars from her wallet and handed them to her boyfriend and his sister, telling them to remember to get her a drink.

"So how's it going with the crazies?" Toph asked as she approached from the other car.

"All they do is argue," Katara said. "I just wish they'd get along. Or at least not fight as much."

"Let 'em go at it," Toph said. "Just lock 'em up in the backseat and tell them to leave you out of it."

"It's not that bad," Katara smiled.

"All brothers and sisters fight," Ty Lee commented as she bounced onto Toph's shoulders. "You should see some of them at my school. The like to punch and kick each other just for the fun of it!"

"There you go," Toph said. "Maybe that's just how Zuko and Azula communicate."

"Maybe," Katara agreed. "But I still wish they'd do it less violently."

Over by the first car in their party, Kuzon was paying for their gas. Afterward, he strode over and smiled to the girls.

"How are things going?" he asked. "Are you still okay to drive, or would you like to rest a bit?"

"No, I'm good to go," Katara smiled. "Can't get tired in this car."

"Is something troubling you?" Kuzon asked.

"Zuko and Azula are just too noisy of company for me to get tired!" she laughed.

After collecting the missing members of the group and piling everyone back into the two vehicles, they were on the road once again. Zuko and Azula were still bickering back and forth, but with a nice cool drink in her hand Katara did not mind as much. Even as the argument continued to escalate she was able to put the noisy siblings aside without worrying about them.

"Knock it off!" Zuko yelled as Azula flicked the back of his head for the umpteenth time.

"Stop being an idiot," she replied calmly.

"Children," Katara teased. "Behave."

"Children?" Zuko asked. "If anyone is acting like a child, it's her!"

Azula responded to the comment with another flick to her brother's head.

"Alright!" he screamed. "That's it!"

Zuko unbuckled his seatbelt and turned around in his seat to reach back and fight with his younger sister. In that moment, his hand collided with Katara's drink as it rested in its cup holder and fell from its secure place. Katara only saw it the moment before it happened. The lid flew off of the cup and her soda landed squarely on her lap. With a yell and a fierce, agitated stomp on the brakes, the car screeched to a halt in the middle of the highway. Thankfully, the road was nearly barren in the early hours of the summer weekend.

"Geez, Katara!" Zuko groaned as he turned in his seat to face her. Her eyes were narrowed and glaring dangerously at him.

"Out."

"What?" Zuko asked in disbelief.

"Out now."

"Katara, we're in the middle of the street!"

"Get out!"

Zuko pushed the door open and climbed out before Katara became anymore enraged.

"Backseat!"

Again, Zuko did as he was told and got in beside his sister who barely seemed capable of holding in her laughter.

"Azula, sit on your hands," Katara ordered.

"Excuse me?" Azula asked.

"Sit . . . on . . . your . . . hands."

The icy, menacing tone of Katara's voice was enough even for Azula to realize how serious she was. Considering the fact that Katara was the one in the driver's seat and she held Azula's life in her hands, Azula decided it would be best to do as she was told. However humiliating it might be.

After making sure that the two siblings had done as they were told, Katara pulled the car off to the side of the road and got her cell out of her pocket. Quickly dialing Kuzon's number, she placed the phone to her ear as she performed a very illegal u turn in the middle of the highway.

"Kuzon?" she said. "Yeah, we have to go back to the rest stop. Can you meet us back there? Thanks, I really appreciate it."

Not long after the call, the two vehicles were once again parked at the rest stop while Katara fished through the trunk of the car she was driving for her bag. Thanks to the mess that Zuko had made, she now how to change her clothes and wash up in the ladies room so she would not be moist and sticky for the remainder of the drive.

"Could be worse," Toph said as she and Aang climbed back into Kuzon's car. "I have drool on my jeans."

"I said I was sorry," Aang replied. "Besides, I woke up to you drumming on my head to your music."

Toph leaned against his shoulder as she popped her ear pieces back in. She nuzzled herself into a comfortable position and skipped through the tracks looking for one that sounded good.

"So what?" Aang asked. "We're done? No more argument?"

Toph turned her head and pulled on his cheek with one hand.

"Shut up and kiss me," she ordered. After quickly pecking him on the lips, she pat his cheek roughly and resumed her comfortable position. "Now just shut up so I can sleep."

"What a great way to end an argument," Aang smiled.

A/N: Sorry it took so long to post. As you may know from my profile, I have virtually no net access right now. And I know that this is not so Taang right now, but next chapter I promise!


	3. Unexpected Guests

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar

Chapter 3

Unexpected Guests

Toph stretched the knots out of her back and neck. A long ride in the car was not the most comfortable way to spend her first day of vacation, but the destination was, without a doubt, worth it. She could hear the boys' chatter coming from the house as they unloaded the bags, and she knew that Ty Lee would be showing Katara and Azula around the building so they could decide on rooms. Her only concern about the girls was the way Ty Lee and Azula would take to each other.

Toph did not really care where she would be sleeping. For now, she was content to just sit on the sandy beach with her toes curling into the warm sand. The feel and smell of the ocean were intoxicating, and the sounds of the waves lapping against the shore was music she had nearly forgotten in her five years absence from this place. The last day she had spent at this house still lived fresh in her memory, even though it was a day she would rather forget.

Toph shuddered lightly at the thought. That was a bad day to say the least. As her mind began to dwell on it, she felt the sand shifting around behind her under the weight of someone's steps. As much as she loved coming to this beach, it did hinder her ability to feel her way around and she could not tell who it was until he sat behind her.

"We're done unloading," Twinkle Toes told her as his legs spread around her sides. He placed his hands on her shoulders and pulled her gently to rest on him. "Kinda warm out here to be shivering. What were you thinking about?"

"Nothing," she lied. "It's not important. So what do you think of my beach?"

"Your beach?"

"Yeah!" she grinned. "My beach!"

"It's nice," he smiled in response. "The house is nice too. I tried to put our stuff in the same room, and you should have seen the look on Kuzon's face!"

"Did he tell you what Dad said?"

"We get separate rooms on either side of Kuzon, that way if I try anything I gotta get passed him first," Aang recited.

"Good boy," Toph said as she reached up and patted Aang's bald head. "Just be glad I got you that much. Dad almost insisted that you share a room with Kuzon."

"Tophy! Aang!" Ty Lee called. "Come inside, we have to get unpacked!"

"We're coming!" Toph answered. "Come on, Twinkle Toes."

Toph stood and held out her hand for Aang to take. She pulled him to his feet and followed the sound of Ty Lee's voice to the rocky wall that the house sat upon at the beach's edge. The stone steps that led their back up to her porch burned against her feet, but she did not care. She was glad to be back, and she was glad that her friends were there with her. Like he knew what she was thinking, Aang squeezed her hand as if to reassure her of that.

As Toph strolled over the hard wood floors with Aang in tow, memories of running around the house played through her mind. She could hear her own laughter so clearly that she nearly laughed out loud. The soft melodies of an ivory piano played in her ears and Toph could not help but smile. As a child, Toph remembered this house as the only place she really had fun. Of course Kuzon had started coming with her after he was hired on, and Ty Lee too the last couple of times. Even so, before that Toph had enjoyed coming to this summer house. Toph pulled Aang up the stairs to the second floor where the rooms were being decided.

"So except Toph and Ty Lee, we all get separate rooms?" Zuko could be heard asking.

"With the exception of the master bedroom, the rooms are all to small for more than one person," Kuzon explained.

"What about the rooms on the first floor?" Katara asked.

"No!" Toph found herself shouting. "I mean, those aren't bedrooms."

"What are they?" Aang asked her.

"Never you mind," Kuzon said. Aang's eyes bounced from Toph to Kuzon to Ty Lee. Whatever those rooms were, they did not want to talk about it.

"It's nothing," Toph told him. "Seriously. Just private stuff okay?"

"Okay," Aang said with a smile. He did not need to hear anything other than that.

"I shall be taking the center room on the east side," Kuzon informed them as he looked directly at Aang.

"Then I'll take the first one on the east," he grinned.

"Tophy and I get the last one!" Ty Lee bounced. "That's closest to the bathroom, so we'll get the first showers!"

"So we get the west side rooms?" Katara asked as she pushed open one of the doors.

"I guess so," Zuko replied.

"We're going to be sleeping next to each other all summer," Katara smiled as she walked into her room.

Zuko's face turned three shades of red as he threw his bags through his open doorway.

"Try to control yourself, Dumb-Dumb," Azula said with a smirk.

"Shut up!"

"Would it make it easier if Katara and I switched rooms?" she mocked. "Then you would be sleeping next to your baby sister instead."

"I said shut up!" Zuko fumed.

"Zuko, Azula!" Katara's voice rang out. "Do I have to separate you two?"

Azula only chuckled lightly to herself as she carried her bags down to the last room on the west side.

"Let's get outta here, Twinkle Toes," Toph said. "Before Zuko blows his top."

"Yeah," Aang agreed.

"How about a tour?"

"How about a snack?"

"Twinkle Toes, we just got here," Toph sighed. "We don't have any food in the house yet."

"Really?" Aang's voice was laced with confusion. "Funny. Ty Lee said she found some cookies in the kitchen."

"What?"  
"Yeah, come on."

Quickly down the stairs and passed the living room, Toph marched her way onto the tiled floor of the kitchen. Aang led her to one of the cupboards and pulled out a plastic shopping bag filled with packages of cookies and chips.

"Kuzon!" Toph yelled. She followed the vibrations of his hasty footfalls all the way to the living room before she heard him reply.

"Ma'am?"

"Did you tell anyone we were coming?"

"No, miss. You specifically said you wanted this to be a private event with your friends and myself."

"Then where did this come from?" she asked.

"It's not just that either," Aang said as he climbed up onto the counter and looked through the cupboards. "There's a lot of stuff in here."

"What in the world?"

Kuzon seemed just as baffled by the snack foods as Toph was. If Kuzon did not have anything to do with it, then maybe her dad? No, her dad would not have the place filled with snack food. He would not have allowed the food to stay in grocery bags either. And as far as Toph knew, the staff had not been to work since the last summer she had spent there. Some stranger was coming into her place uninvited.

"Perhaps it was the cleaning service that your father sent out," Kuzon said. "Master Bei Fong arranged for the house to be cleaned and the utilities to be turned on when you told him of your summer plans."

"But why would they have so much food?" Aang asked.

"Why would who have what now?" Zuko asked as the others joined them in the kitchen.

"Someone brought snacks!" Ty Lee exclaimed as she fished around in one of the bags.

"The question is who?" Toph said.

"I'll bet it was your dad," Katara said after some thought. "He's been really laid back lately. Maybe he just wanted us to have some fun."

Toph considered the idea. It was not impossible that her father had arranged it for them. Besides, between a cleaning service and having the utilities turned on, no one would have come into the house without being noticed. That was probably it. By why didn't he just tell her that he was doing it? She would definitely have to ask him about that later. In the meantime . . .

"We gotta get some food," she said.

"Right on!" Aang agreed as he lunged for a bag.

"Real food, Twinkle Toes," she stopped him. "Kuzon, you still remember the way to that steakhouse around here?"

"Please, miss, not today. I am very exhausted from the drive."

"Yeah, let's order a pizza instead!" Ty Lee offered. "We'll have a good old fashioned night in! And we can all get to know each other better!"

As she spoke, Ty Lee did not bother trying to hide the fact that she was staring straight at Azula. Everyone was sure that Azula would reply with a snide and snooty remark, but she only shrugged her shoulders.

"I'd rather stay in too," she said. "I'm tired of sitting in the car."

"You mean sitting on your hands," Zuko smirked.

"I'm not sitting on them now," she replied coolly as she flashed her pointed nails at him.

"Pizza sounds fine," Katara interrupted before things got out of hand.

After nearly twenty minutes of arguing about what kind of pizza to order, Toph finally ordered one supreme and one veggie. She simply mandated that if they did not like something that was on it, they could pick it off themselves.

- - - -

The salty night air blew gently through Toph's hair. The moon's gentle hand stroked out the melody that the waves danced to as she listened to the song. The cool sand beneath her feet was soothing as she strolled aimlessly along the water's edge.

It had been easy enough to get outside without waking anyone. The only person she had disturbed at all was Kuzon, and that was only because he was always alert when it came to her. After so many years of having him watch over her, she did not even have to feel his vibrations to know that he was there. There was something about his eyes on her that she could simply feel. Even now in the dead of night from all the way up on the second floor of the house, Toph could feel Kuzon watching her with his protective gaze.

"Kind of late for a stroll, isn't it?" a familiar voice asked gently.

"Hey, Twinkle Toes," she smiled. "How'd you get passed Kuzon?"

"I don't think I did," Aang laughed quietly. Silence held the two of them for a few moments. Though they were disrupted by the shifty sand beneath them, Toph could make out the uncertainty in Aang's vibrations. She strolled over to him and wrapped her arms around his before pulling him along the water with her.

"This is the place, isn't it?" he asked.

"Yeah," she answered simply.

It was a frightening memory, but one that she did not allow to trouble her so much anymore. It was the reason that her father had stopped bringing her here. Only a few years ago on this very beach, she had nearly drown. It was as fresh in her mind as the argument over dinner just an hour or so ago. She had been so fed up with her own insecurities about the water that she had decided to try wading out into it a bit. She was fine at first, but once the water had reached her waist it began to pull on her. Unable to get a firm hold on the floor beneath her, she was dragged out much too far to be able to reach the sand anymore. It was Kuzon who had saved her then, and it was then that her father refused to let her be alone at anytime afterwards. A shiver ran down her spine.

"You okay?" Aang asked as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said. "Let's go back in. I don't wanna be out here right now."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"It's just weird," she explained. "Sometimes it's really nice, but when I'm walking between the sand and the water, it makes me nervous. I can't feel anything but the water on my feet and I can't tell where I'm going or where I am."

"That's what you have me for," Aang told her as he held her tighter.

"Maybe. But you don't know where you're going most of the time anyway."

"True, but at least we're lost together."

Toph nudged him playfully in the ribs with her elbow as he guided her back towards the house. She was surprised that Kuzon had allowed her and Aang this little walk, but then again what would Aang do out in the middle of the beach that would warrant any kind of worry? Then again, he had proven himself more bold than Toph had expected on more than one occasion already.

It was not until they reached the rocky steps of the house that Toph's mind finally left the boy beside her. Someone was on her porch. Two someones. Two someones that she did not recognize the vibrations of. And these two someones were trying to open the sliding glass doors into the house. Aang moved forward as if to approach the strangers, but Toph held him back. She moved in behind the pair and listened in on their conversation

"Why won't it open?" a young girl's voice was whispering.

"I dunno," a boy replied lazily. "Did you lock it?"

"Of course I didn't! Do you think I'm stupid?"

"Try the other one," he told her.

"You could try this," Toph said as she held the key up between their forms.

"Thanks," the girl replied as she took the key. She opened the lock quickly and slid the door open. "Alright! Thanks a lot!"

"You're welcome," Toph smiled.

Before either of the two strangers could react, Toph pushed them both through the doorway and onto the tile floor of the kitchen. She stood over them and stared down with a dangerous expression on her face as they looked up at her in shock.

"Who are you, and why are you trying to get into my house?"

A/N: Hello all! I am back and better than ever! Thanks for your patience, and I apologize for my long absence, but moving can do that to you. Hopefully you won't have to wait long for the next few chapters now that my computer is up and running again. By the way, did I mention that I got married on the 19th?


	4. Getting to Know You

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar

Chapter 4

Getting To Know You

Seven people stood in the living room looking down on the two strangers now sitting on the couch. A young girl with dark brown hair stared back with nervousness shining in her hazel eyes. She rubbed her arms in a poor attempt to keep them from shaking. The other stranger did not seem nearly as rattled as her. He leaned back on the couch looking quite comfortable. Every so often he would brush his nearly black hair away from his sleepy looking light green eyes.

"You have five seconds to tell me who you are and what you're doing here before I call the cops!" Toph growled angrily. How dare these people try to break into her house?

"I'm sorry!" the girl said quickly. "My name is Airis, and this is Ethan. We didn't know anyone was here!"

"Of course you didn't," Azula said. "Who would be dumb enough to break into a house full of people?"

"No, that's not what I mean!" Airis said. "I meant we didn't know anyone was living here. Please, don't call the police!"

Toph watched the girl's vibrations carefully. It felt like she was about to have a panic attack with the way her heart was pounding and her breath was catching, but she was not lying. She clearly had no idea this was anything but an empty house. Her friend on the other hand was still just lying there as if he did not care one way or the other if the police were involved.

"You still have not answered the question," Kuzon said. "What were you doing trying to get in in the first place?"

"We were gonna have a party," the boy said lazily. "For summer break."

"A party?" Zuko asked. "In a stranger's house?"

"This place has been abandoned for years," Ethan said dully. "Big house, lotsa space, no neighbors. It's perfect. We figured we'd help ourselves since we wouldn't be putting anybody out."

"Be that as it may," Kuzon said. "This is still private property whether anyone is in the domicile or not."

"Right," Ethan agreed. "Now that someone's here, we'll just pack up and move the stuff somewhere else. No harm no foul."

"Wrong!" Toph yelled. "Major foul!"

How could this guy just act like this was no big deal? He broke into her home. Her sanctuary!

"Would you like me to call the authorities, miss?" Kuzon asked her.

"I don't really think that's necessary," Ty Lee answered for her. Toph turned her attention to Sugar Queen with a baleful look. "Come on, Tophy, they weren't going to do anything that bad. Let's just cut them a break."

"Yeah, Toph," Aang agreed. "You know that if it were us, we'd probably do the exact same thing."

"There's an idea. Why don't we just have the party?" Katara asked.

Everyone in the room turned to her. Did she really just say that? Did Katara just suggest having a party for a bunch of strangers?

"What are you talking about?" Toph asked.

"It would be fun," Katara smiled. "You wanted this to be a summer that we'll all always remember, right? What better way than with a massive party?"

"You can't be serious," Azula said. "Bring a bunch of strangers into the house and let them go wild?"

"Sure, why not?" Katara asked. "We did the same thing at Sokka's place."

"That was totally different," Aang said. "You guys knew those people."

"Most of them anyway," Toph muttered.

The prospect of a party was intriguing, but the feeling of _her place_ being invaded still made Toph feel more than just a tad upset. She felt violated a little. These people had taken it upon themselves to come into her house and use it for themselves without even asking anyone. Like they had the right to come in. Still, she had to admit that she liked the way the kids thought. Aang was right. She would have done the same.

"Um," Airis' voice cut into her thoughts. "Look, I know you must be upset and I'm really _really_ sorry. I didn't think that we would be bothering anyone. After so many years, I thought that the place had just been abandoned. The door was open when we came to check it out, and after we cleaned it up a bit I just kind of fell in love with it. I understand if you don't want us here, but please don't call the police."

If there was one thing Toph was good at besides whooping butt, it was knowing people. Maybe not as well as Azula did, but far better than most. This Airis girl, more than anything else, was genuine. She even kind of reminded Toph of Sugar Queen.

"I'm not gonna call the police," Toph told her.

"Does that mean we can have the party?"

"Ethan! She's letting us off the hook, let's just go!"

"A party _does_ sound right up your alley, Tophy," Ty Lee said in a teasing voice.

"It'll be a lot more fun than the one at Sokka's," Katara said.

"That wouldn't be hard to accomplish," Zuko said, remembering watching Toph run outside in tears.

"You don't have to, Toph," Aang told her. Even though he was trying to sound like he did not care one way or the other, Toph could hear the excitement lacing his voice.

"What do you think?" she asked. Without needing to be told, Kuzon knew she was addressing him.

"I believe that you will do whatever it is that you want to do regardless of what I say," he answered. "But I will be as useful as I can in your decision, miss."

Toph folded her arms and bowed her head. The thought of having a party was a very strong pull in the "yes" direction, no doubt. There was only one thing that was bothering her. Something she felt guilty for not checking on when she first arrived. The west side hall on the first floor.

"Have you guys been in that hall?" she asked, pointing to the doorway.

"No," Ethan said flatly.

"That door was locked," Airis explained. "We didn't want to break it open."

"Cool," Toph smiled. "Okay, so what do you still need for this party?"

"Really?"

"Sweet."

- - - -

After a filling breakfast at what Azula called "a quaint little hole," the group met up with their party hosts/guests at a small strip mall.

"Good morning, everyone!" Airis greeted them warmly. "Sorry again about last night. And thanks for letting us use your summer home."

"As long as you follow my rules, no problem," Toph told her.

"What's with you?" Zuko asked. "Not a morning person?"

"I'm good," Ethan said sleepily.

"So we got three days to come up with enough stuff to make this a rockin' party, right?" Toph asked. "Where do you wanna start?"

"Well, we still need some decorations," Airis said. "I know a great place to get those though. It's right down this way."

As Toph, Aang, and Airis all led the group along the sidewalk of shops, Zuko made sure to hang back far enough to keep an eye on everyone. And of course he did not want to have to carry around party supplies like last time. After about an hour of picking up party favors, Airis began to open up to everyone. She was very kind and friendly, unlike her friend appeared to be. Ethan just seemed to be following them around, as if his only purpose was to just be there.

"You don't trust me," Ethan said suddenly without even looking at Zuko.

"I don't _dis_trust you," Zuko added.

"Don't blame you," Ethan said blandly. "You've got trust issues."

"What makes you say that?"

"You stand in the back so that no one's behind you," Ethan replied. "What style do you study?"

Zuko was caught off guard. How had he known that Zuko was even a practitioner?

"Shaolin," he answered.

"It's your walk," Ethan explained without being asked. "You, the bald kid, and the blind girl. Your girlfriend a little too. And I'm pretty sure the servant dude is ex-military."

"How do you know all that?"

"I just pick up on things," Ethan said. "People interest me. Culture too. I'd rather be outside watching and learning things for myself than stuck in a classroom. Textbooks, facts, formulas? Boring. Give me a field or lab any day."

"So why do _you_ hang back so much?" Zuko found himself asking.

"Spotlight's not for me," Ethan told him. "That's Airis' place. I'm just here to give her help when she needs it."

"You two are close?" Zuko asked, realizing how personal his questions were getting.

"Best friends for years. Funny considering how unalike we are in so many ways."

Zuko looked towards the front of the group where Airis and Katara were laughing about something. Zuko knew better than almost anyone how two completely different people could be brought together through circumstance. Or shear stubbornness in his and Katara's case.

"Your differences are what make you such good friends," Zuko said.

"I like to think so," Ethan agreed.

"Ethan!" Airis called. "Where was that store you were telling me about before? The one with the strobe lights and graphics and stuff?"

"She'd get lost looking for her house if she didn't walk to it everyday," Ethan complained lazily as he sped up to catch up to the girls. Zuko watched with a knowing smile as Ethan ran through the directions to the store with his hands.

"An interesting young man," Kuzon said from a few paces ahead. "He is quite observant."

"Were you really in the military?" Zuko asked.

"That is not something I like to think about very much," Kuzon answered, ending the discussion.

Aang followed along behind Toph and Airis and watched as Ethan went over the directions one more time.

"No, you go east on Fourth." Ethan began to rub the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"Gotcha," Airis smiled. "East on Fourth. Now, which one is Fourth again?"

Aang laughed quietly to himself. It was obvious that Airis was just trying to be difficult for the sake of being difficult, but Ethan either did not notice or was simply playing along.

"So are you two together?" Aang asked.

"What?" Airis balked. "Eww! No! Why would I wanna date this lazy bum?"

"And why would I want to go out with such a royal pain?" Ethan countered.

"Sorry," Aang grinned. "My mistake."

"What about you two?" Airis asked teasingly. "Are you a couple?"

"No," Toph answered. "He just follows me around like a little lost puppy."

"Hey!" Aang laughed over the top of the packages he was carrying. "Who are you calling 'little'?"

"Was that a short joke?" Toph asked as she came to a stop. She fell in step right beside Aang as he answered her.

"Well, I had to make sure it didn't go over your head," Aang teased.

"Oh, you're gonna pay for that one, Twinkle Toes."

"Twinkle Toes?" Airis asked with a laugh.

"That's a pet name to be proud of," Ethan mocked.

"You laugh, but these two have one of the best relationships I've ever seen," Katara interjected. "They've known each other since they were kids, and even though Aang left for four years, their love still survived."

"Don't make it sound so much like some over-sappy, trashy romance novel, Sugar Queen. We didn't fall in love at first sight."

"That would have proved difficult," Aang grinned. "We just kinda fell into what we have. Not that I'm complaining at all!"

"You will be when the bruises start forming," Toph said before punching him in the arm.

"We just hooked up with a bunch of weirdos, didn't we?" Ethan asked.

"Weird is fun," Airis told him. "It beats normal every time!"

Azula stood off to the side of the group with Ty Lee nearly hanging on her. For some reason the girl would not stop following her, and it was beginning to get annoying.

"What do you want?" Azula asked.

"Is it true that you're a college student?" Ty Lee asked with wide eyes.

"Yes," she answered. "I'll be graduating by the end of this coming school year."

"That is _so_ amazing!" Ty Lee smiled as her eyes lit up in awe. "You must be some kind of super genius! And you have such pretty skin and hair. What do you use for it?"

Maybe this girl was not as annoying as Azula had initially labeled her. That did not mean she was going to answer her questions though.

"You're a martial artist too, right? I'm kinda one myself. Daddy taught me a few things to help me defend myself. Do you know that there are three hundred sixty-five pressure points in the human body?"

"I do," Azula answered.

"I know where all of them are too! That's how I keep myself safe and protected," Ty Lee explained with a nod. "So, what kind of stuff do you work on in college?"

"I hardly work on anything," Azula admitted. "It's all so simple that it's really rather boring. The only thing that truly keeps my attention at all is psychology. The human mind is such an interesting thing. People become so hard wired into their routines that even the slightest thing can throw their lives into chaos if they are easily overwhelmed. And most people are easily overwhelmed."

"Do you think I'm 'most people'?" Ty Lee asked.

Azula regarded her for a moment. She seemed so innocent and sweet, but at the same time there were other factors to consider. First and foremost was her father, who more than anything was of strong mind and body. Taking into consideration how this girl had no mother but was clearly well adjusted was another of these factors. Azula's mind raced through the variables and scenarios of the average person's life and came to a surprising conclusion.

"As a matter of fact, I don't," she said. "You may be a bit of a flake, but you are certainly not 'most people'."

"Aww, you're so sweet!" Ty Lee said as she hugged Azula's neck. "You're not scary at all! You're just like Mai!"

"Mai?" Azula asked.

"Yeah, my friend from school," Ty Lee explained. "She's really tall; has long, black hair like yours; and she's got this really gloomy look on her face _all_ the time."

"And she's always bored," Azula finished.

"Yeah, that's her! You know her?"

"We go to therapy together," Azula said. "At least we used to. I haven't gone in a while."

"That is so cool!" Ty Lee beamed. "We absolutely have to all get together and hang out when we get back!"

"Perhaps," Azula said. "It will be a good excuse to stay away from Uncle's tea shop anyway."

A/N: I would like to introduce two cameo characters from my competition held earlier this year. AvatarAiris i.e. Airis, and Andoriol i.e. Ethan. Thank you both for entering the competition.

So we have new friends, new places, and new friendships brewing. What kind of summer is the Gaang in for? Next chapter will be coming soon!


	5. Reason to Live

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar

Chapter 5

Reason to Live

He could hardly believe it, even as he was preparing to leave the plane. After three years on the battlefield he was finally coming home. Three years away from his beautiful wife who had been six months pregnant when he had left. He had not gotten to be there when his daughter was born, but he would get to be there now. As he left the plane and entered the airport, the sheer number of people disoriented him.

The sudden rush of people shuffling around, the noise, all of the visual stimuli threw him back into the field. He was no longer in a civilian airport, but surrounded by the sounds of explosions and the smell of gunpowder and smoke. The soldiers that were near him were shouting something he could barely understand. His hands tightened on the grip of his rifle and he started to run. The screams and shouts grew louder and he could see out of the corner of his eyes his comrades, his friends falling. As he ran, his vision began to blur. Suddenly, an enemy stood before him with his knife poised to come down on him. He rose his rifle to block the attack, but then everything changed.

He was back in the airport. People all around were staring at him with looks mixed of shock, horror, and even anger. There was a gentle pair of hands on his wrists trying to pull them down. He blinked the visions of the battlefield out of his mind to find two beautiful brown eyes. They were begging for him to recognize who was holding him.

"Kuzon! Kuzon it's okay!" a woman was saying.

Kuzon shook his head for a moment and then stared into the eyes of his wife. Next to her was a small child holding onto her leg that he knew must be his Ty Lee. He was home. He was safe. He wrapped his arms around his wife and held her as tightly as he could.

"I'm home, Huian."

"Oh, Kuzon," she smiled as she returned his embrace. "Welcome home."

"And who is this beautiful little angel?" he asked as he bent down to see his daughter. Ty Lee hugged her mother's leg tighter as Kuzon held his arms out to her. "Ty Lee? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, dear," Huian said as she stroked Ty Lee's hair. "She just doesn't know you yet is all."

- - - -

The first few weeks were the hardest. Adjusting to civilian life was nearly impossible. Nightmare after nightmare came, and not all of them came to him during the night. He had found himself in many similar situations as his first day back, each one just as bad, if not worse, than the last. After some pleading from Huian to see a doctor, Kuzon learned that he was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. As if that news was not bad enough, he then learned that his nighttime cries and screams had been frightening his daughter.

Ty Lee would avoid him whenever her mother was not around. Sometimes he would catch her watching him from the corner of his eye and it gave him hope, but she would still run and hide if he tried to hold her. Huian had told him she was just being shy, but he was beginning to fear she would always be wary of him. Days turned to weeks. Weeks to months. Then it happened.

It was so sudden. No one could explain how it had happened or why. She just collapsed. Seeing Huian lying there in that hospital bed tore at his very soul. The doctors did what they could, but in the end . . .

"So sudden." "Tried everything." "Nothing we could do." "I'm sorry." These were the words that they had given him. Empty, meaningless words when his beloved wife and friend had left him. He sat at her bedside holding her hand tightly as Ty Lee just stared into her face. Kuzon was not sure if she even understood what was going on. How was he going to be able to look after her on his own? He had only had her back for a few months. How was he going to be able to go on without Huian? He fought back the tears, determined to be strong for his daughter's sake. Then an amazing thing happened. One of the most treasured experiences of his life. Ty Lee's hands found his face and cupped his cheeks.

"It's okay, Daddy," she had told him. "You can cry."

Silently the tears began to roll down his face. It was the most ambivalent feeling he had ever felt. He was dying inside over the loss of his wife, and yet there was an unsurpassed joy when Ty Lee had called him "Daddy." He felt guilty for it, but overwhelmed by grief he cried as his now three year old daughter held him. In that moment of pain and loss, the two of them had finally connected. Their love for Huian helped them to understand and love one another.

In order to help Ty Lee get through the loss of her mother, Kuzon had decided to enroll her in a preschool where she could be with friends her own age. Unfortunately, this left him with many empty, lonely hours at the house while she was away. Rather than lay around wallowing in his own misery, Kuzon had taken a job a the local mall. It was not the proudest job he had ever held, but it allowed him to slowly readjust to civilian life. The exposure to people, sights, and sounds also helped with the treatment of his PTSD. Though overwhelming at first, it grew easier over time to be around other people without any episodes.

Life was becoming easier. Though there was still a constant pain in his heart, Kuzon was able to smile for Ty Lee. She would always come home with a grin on her face and stories about what she did in school that day. Kuzon hung on to every word and his eyes never deviated from hers. They were the spitting image of her mother's. Sometimes at night those eyes haunted him, but whenever they were accompanied by Ty Lee's sweet voice they were comforting. It reminded him that even though his beloved Huian was gone, she had left a part of herself with him. And he would always treasure and protect this precious gift.

- - - -

It was a day just like any other. Nothing special going on, no strange weather in the air, not even a sensation that something may happen. It was just another dull, routine day. But that did not stop it from becoming a living nightmare.

He had been at work, sweeping up the walkways of the mall so that they would be easier to mop for the next shift. People were passing by in their usual happy ways. Groups of teenagers chatting about some band. Couples just looking for a place to spend time. Parents and their children on an afternoon outing. One family in particular caught Kuzon's attention. It was a family of three. A man and a woman with a small daughter that held onto to each of their hands. She could not have been any older than Ty Lee. Kuzon smiled at the thought of his daughter, and that was when it all began.

Three men came running from the other end of the mall. Security was chasing after them, and they were closing in fast. As the three men ran passed the family Kuzon had noticed, one of them pushed the mother to the ground. At the same time, he grabbed their daughter by the arm and began to drag her with him. Her father screamed in fear and rage before the assailant turned to face the security force and pulled a gun from his pants.

"Don't move!" he warned as he held the gun out. "Don't move a muscle!"

The guards froze instantly and the parents of the child became still. The girl's mother was on the verge of hysteria as she cried for the man to release her baby. Everyone began to scream and get down on the ground. Some managed to get into shops or out nearby exits, but most were not so lucky. Kuzon was stuck in the middle, close to the three dangerous men, but he was not in the mall anymore.

Children were crying and a man was shouting orders to a group of people that shook nervously. He waved a gun around while pulling a small child behind him in front of a line of troops that wielded semi-automatic weapons. Kuzon knew that any move he made could put all of these people at risk, but he had to do something or that hostage was going to die. Not might die. _Would_ die. Very slowly he began to walk towards the nearest two men. They seemed almost as nervous as the people being held. They were the weak links.

As he approached them, Kuzon gripped the pipe that he had found and readied himself for the attack. First, he struck the larger of the two men on the side of the knee, making him crumble under his own weight. When his comrade turned, Kuzon struck him on the gut. As the man doubled over, Kuzon put him down with a blow to the back of the head and followed up by striking the first man across the face. The man with the child turned at the sounds of the scuffle and pointed his gun into the girl's neck.

"I said don't move!" he warned.

"You do not want to do that," Kuzon warned calmly. "By the time you pull that trigger you will fall, and I promise you will not get back up."

Kuzon could see the man weighing his options in his mind. He could pull the trigger and leave himself open to Kuzon's wrath. He could surrender and allow this madness to come to an end. He could stand there and stall, but then they would remain at this impasse. There was, however, one more option.

The moment would pass in only a few seconds, but time seemed to slow down for Kuzon as the events unfolded. The man's arm turned away from the girl's neck and in Kuzon's direction. The instant that the man began to move, Kuzon did as well. He charged forward with the pipe in his hands and brought it down on the man's gun arm. As the gun went off, the bullet fired harmlessly into the ground. Even so the captives screamed in fear. Kuzon's forward momentum propelled him into a spin, and as he came around for a second strike the pipe in his hands rammed across the front of the man's neck.

There was a blinding flash of light, and Kuzon stood over the body of a man only slightly younger than himself. In his hands was the broken handle of his broom and the floor was lined with splintered wood. Blood covered the man's face from when it spewed from his mouth on impact. The way his body was moving and the strangling, gurgling sounds implied that Kuzon had crushed his throat with the blow. Kuzon had seen similar things during his time in battle. Even if a medical team were en route now from the nearest hospital there was no way for the man to survive without a tracheotomy. No doctors were stepping forward, and Kuzon had no medical experience that applied to this situation. Within minutes this man would be dead and it would be on Kuzon's shoulders.

Cries of thanks and gratitude managed to reach his ears, but he was more focused on the woman that was clutching the little girl to her as she stared at him with grateful tears in her eyes. Worried about what he had just done and what affect it would have on the child, Kuzon tried to examine her face. It was only then that he noticed something strange about the girl. She was blind.

"Thank you so much," the girl's father said as he shook Kuzon's hand. "I don't know how to repay you for what you've done."

"I did nothing worthy of thanks," Kuzon replied as he looked down at the dying man. His attention then drifted to the child again. There was something in her sightless eyes that just ate away at him. She seemed so unhappy. So alone and lonely. He turned away and knelt next to the man on the floor. The least he could do was make him comfortable until he passed. He placed his hand over the man's eyes and gently turned his head to the side. He placed his index and middle fingers behind the man's ear on the side of his neck and pressed until he felt the man begin to drift out of consciousness. Once the man was out, Kuzon turned his head back and tilted it to allow as much air to flow through as possible. There was nothing else he could do after that.

"Where did you learn to do that?" the man asked.

"Military, sir," Kuzon answered. "Retired."

"An ex-soldier? Interesting." The man stoked his thin mustache in thought for a moment. "What is your name?"

"My name is Kuzon, sir" he said as he stood.

"Well, Kuzon, how would you like a job working for me?"

"I am not sure you would want me working for you, sir."

"On the contrary. You are just the man I want working for me. I need someone that I can rely on to watch over my daughter. Someone to be with her at all times."

"You would like to hire me as a bodyguard, sir?" Kuzon asked.

"I assure you that you will be handsomely compensated."

"The matter of payment is not an issue," Kuzon explained. "You see, I have a daughter of my own."

"I would be more than happy to have my daughter's tutor educate her as well. You can be with both of them all day."

"Ty Lee likes her school, and I would not want to take her from her friends."

"Please, Kuzon," the man said. "My daughter is blind. She is very fragile and needs someone to be with her. Even if it's only during the day."

Kuzon regarded the man and his family. The young girl did look like she was in desperate need of something, though Kuzon was not so sure that it was something her parents could not give her themselves. He remembered how it felt when Huian had died. How alone he felt until Ty Lee lifted that pain from him. He could not leave this child to suffer through that.

"And what might your name be, miss?" he smiled as he knelt beside the girl.

"Toph," she answered simply. She was shaking a little. Perhaps she was afraid of him just as Ty Lee had been.

"Would you like it if I were with you?" Kuzon asked. "To keep you company and look after you?"

Toph did not speak, but nodded her head slowly. That was how it began. Later, after coming to the realization of Toph's extraordinary gift, Kuzon would constantly wonder if she feared him. She had witnessed him being so vicious, and stood beside him as he had killed a man.

_What if you hadn't been there?_ a familiar voice would ask him whenever those thoughts came about. _She could have been killed if you had not helped her._

"That does not justify what I did."

_Would you have any hesitation to do it again if it had been Ty Lee?_

Kuzon pictured his daughter's life in the hands of some desperate man with a gun. There was no question what he would do if that ever happened.

"I would do whatever it takes to protect her."

_And Toph,_ the voice would say. _The two of them are your reasons now._

"My reasons?"

_Your reasons to live. They drive you. They are what you love most. What would you do if anything ever happened to them?_

His ears began to hurt as the sounds of their screams filled them. A crash. A gunshot. An explosion. A sudden flash of their tattered bodies burned into his mind's eye.

- - - -

Kuzon sat bolt upright in his bed, covered in a cold sweat. He opened his mouth to scream, but mercifully it could not come out. With the nightmare still fresh in his mind, Kuzon pulled the covers away and made his way to his door. He felt dizzy and off balance. He walked down the hall, clutching the wall for support until he found the neighboring room and slipped inside.

The moonlight was barely peaking into the room now. The moon was high, probably after midnight. Kuzon steadied himself as he found his way to the large bed in the center of the room. He sat down on the bed side and looked down at the two faces lying on the pillows. His girls. His reasons for living. Tears filled his eyes as the last images of his dream played in his head again.

"Daddy?" Ty Lee began to sit up beside him and stare into his face. "Daddy, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

"I am fine," he whispered. He stoked her long hair absently as he looked into her eyes. The tears were falling down his face now.

"Was it Mommy?" she asked. "Did you dream about her again?"

"No, baby," Kuzon answered. "It wasn't Mommy."

Ty Lee just leaned forward and held her father. He was not sure if she knew what his dream had been about, but he did not want to make sure. His whole world revolved around her and Toph, and he would do anything to make sure that they stayed safe and happy. Anything.

"I love you both so much," he whispered to her.

"I know, Daddy," Ty Lee smiled. "And Tophy knows it too."

Though they did not notice, a smile appeared on Toph's face as a happy tear trickled down onto her pillow.

A/N: Huian means "Kind Peace"


	6. Want

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar

Chapter 6

Want

Katara moved as quietly down the hall as she could. She could not afford to disturb anyone so early, especially not today. She sneaked safely and undetected down the hall and to the stairs, issuing not so much as a squeak from the hardwood floor.

_Good,_ she thought. _Now to get to work._

She slipped into the kitchen and began to set out the necessary pans and ingredients. After a week in the house she had become quite familiar with it. Soon the smell of bacon began to permeate the air as she mixed the batter for the pancakes that she could already taste. As she worked, she periodically checked the stairwell for any sounds or movement. Nothing so far. After pouring the batter and switching the cooked bacon for a new batch in the pan, she began humming a happy tune.

He had no idea what she was planning today. No one did. Of course no one else knew, except Toph maybe. After all the time they had spent together, Toph had probably figured out what today was. No matter though. She had never spoiled their privacy before, and Katara doubted that Toph would break that habit now. The sizzling in the pan told her to flip the bacon as her spatula hand automatically flipped the pancakes with ease.

A few minutes later with a tray in hand, Katara made her way as quietly up the stairs as she was able. She found it was to be a little more difficult going up than down. She tiptoed passed Azula's door and carefully opened the second door on the west side of the hall. Zuko was still sleeping peacefully in his bed when Katara entered. She smiled as she placed the tray on his bed stand and slowly slipped onto his bed with him. She stroked his hair gently and waited for him to wake up.

Very slowly, Zuko began to lean into her hand. His eyes began to open as he blinked away the sleep. For a moment, he thought that he was still dreaming. All he could see was the beautiful face of an angel watching over him. It did not register in his mind that it was Katara until he felt her lips upon his.

"Good morning, birthday boy," she smiled as she pulled away.

"Good morning, yourself," he smiled back.

"I've got your favorite."

Katara grabbed the tray from the bed stand and showed Zuko his breakfast in bed. He sat up shaking his head as she placed it in his lap. It was not until this moment that he realized that she was still in her night nightshirt. Her very _short_ nightshirt. He fumbled with the fork that she had brought him as he tried no to ogle.

"What's wrong?" she asked. Concern laced her voice as she watched his hand shake. "Are you okay?"

"Don't you think that maybe you should put some clothes on?" he asked nervously.

Katara chuckled lightly at the statement.

"What?" she asked with a mischievous grin. "You don't like what you see?"

"No! I mean yes! I mean--"

Katara placed her finger down over Zuko's lips and hushed him up. With another tender kiss she managed to stop his protests completely before he just stared at her completely dumbstruck.

"Eat your breakfast, Zuko," she told him.

After eating his breakfast with an incredibly distracting Katara at his side, Zuko lifted his tray and began to carry it out of his room. A wolf whistle from Katara reminded him that he was clad in nothing but his boxers when he left the room. He walked silently down the stairs and into the kitchen where he found a pile of dishes waiting for him. It was not like Katara to leave a mess anywhere. She was always so neat and tidy. He placed his plate and fork in the sink and began to run the water. As he began to scrub, he felt two slender arms wrap around his stomach as Katara pressed herself against his back.

"Just leave them," she said. "Let the others clean up."

"Are you okay?" he asked with a smile. "What's up with you?"

"Today is special," he heard her answer. He turned to face her and she just held him tighter. "Let's go for a walk on the beach."

Looking down at her clinging to him and feeling her so close, how could he say no? After getting back up into his room and putting on a pair of dark red swim trunks, Zuko met Katara out on the back porch where she stood waiting still in her nightshirt.

"Aren't you going to change?" he asked.

With no more warning than a grin, Katara pulled her shirt off to reveal a revealing white two piece. For the second time in less than an hour, Zuko found himself at a loss for words. Or thoughts for that matter. Katara laced her arms around his and guided him down the stone steps to the sand that was now being warmed by the morning sun.

Zuko was not sure what to make of the feeling he was experiencing as he walked ankle deep in the ocean water that morning. Even as distracting as Katara's bathing suit was, he felt strangely comfortable. For the first time in he did not know how long, he could not think of one thing that caused him any distress. And he really _really_ tried to think of something. But every time he came close to finding something to bother him, whether it had anything to do with this moment or not, it left his mind. It was the oddest sensation.

"It's so peaceful here," Katara said as she leaned her head against his shoulder.

Maybe that was it. Peace. Perhaps he felt at peace. If he had ever felt that way before, it had to have been long before he was old enough to remember it. It was such a foreign experience to him, but he liked it.

_I could get used to this,_ he thought. _I could get used to waking up like that every morning too._

"What's that smile for?" Katara asked.

"What smile?"

"Come on," she whined. "Tell me."

"Nope."

"If you don't tell me, I'll drag you out into the water," she threatened playfully.

"You and what army?" he asked.

"Is that another no?"

"It most certainly is."

Before he knew what was happening, Zuko's breath was taken away by Katara's mouth on his. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him as close as she was able as his arms instinctively snaked around her waist. Heat surged its way through his body as Katara deepened their kiss. She moaned lightly and he took it as an invitation to continue. For some reason though, as his face and chest grew hotter, his legs were becoming colder. He pulled away from her just in time to see himself halfway submerged in water.

"Katara!" he started to laugh.

"Uh uh," she told him as she pulled his face back towards hers with a grin. "I wasn't finished yet."

"You two do realize that you're sitting in a very sensitive ecosystem, don't you?" a voice asked them from the shore. They turned to find Ethan and Airis staring at them, Airis with an embarrassed blush on her face. Ethan just continued. "Keep heating it up like that and your liable to throw it off and kill something in there."

Katara and Zuko pulled themselves apart and pushed their way through the water back to the sand. Katara greeted their guests warmly and offered to take them back to the house and inside to see everyone in order to finalize the party plans.

"Four more days," Airis said excitedly. "I can hardly wait!"

"You're going to pay for that," Zuko told Ethan in a hushed whisper.

"Cheer up," Ethan replied lazily. "Day's young, you could still get lucky."

It took all of Zuko's willpower and self control not to hit him out of embarrassment. The young man had absolutely no tact! He was blunt, and did not seem to care one way or the other what anyone--

"Not another one!" Zuko moaned.

"Not another what?"

"You're just like Toph," Zuko told him. "You two are either going to be best friends or worst enemies by the end of this trip."

Upon arriving at the summer home, the group was greeted by a less than happy Toph.

"You guys left dishes in the sink."

"You do it all the time," Katara said. "I'm taking the day off. I've done the dishes everyday since we got here. And I've made breakfast every morning too. Besides, Zuko and I are going out."

"We are?" Zuko asked.

"We are."

"I thought you two were already out," Toph grinned. "Probably for a dirty swim, right?"

"Wow, she's observant for a blind girl," Ethan said. Airis slapped his arm in response.

"Be more sensitive, you insensitive jerk!" she hissed.

"Well thanks to you, my arm will be more sensitive anyway."

"We'll be back later, okay?"

Katara waved goodbye as she took Zuko by the hand and ran them back down the beach. She was going to make sure that the two of them had a wonderful day together all by themselves. What she did not know was that ever since that morning she had already made Zuko's day. He was content to just be by her side and allow that peaceful feeling to over take him. Unfortunately, she had already planned out their entire day.

At first it was not so bad. They started off continuing their walk on the beach minus the earlier fun. Then for a change of scenery they began to walk the streets of the city. That was where the stress first began with all of the whistles and cat calls that Katara received. Zuko got his fair share too, but he did not notice them over his mounting frustration. By the time they had decided to stop for lunch, Zuko was upset enough to eat for the both of them. Which he almost did. By the end of the day, the only thing that kept the smile on Zuko's face was Katara's smile. It began to dawn on him that he did not have to bother himself over the admiring attention that she frequently got because she only ever paid attention to him.

"So did you have fun today?" she was asking him.

"A little," he replied. "Could have been better."

She only pinched his arm as he looked out the glass doors at the stars appearing in the sky. The day itself had never seemed all that special to him, but Katara always went out of her way to try. She even kept her mouth shut about it, which he was thankful for. The last thing he wanted was for people to make a fuss on his account. As he watched the night begin to take hold of the summer sky, he felt the fatigue settling in.

"I'm going to call it a night," he told her as he kissed her cheek. "Thanks for today."

"You're welcome," she smiled serenely. As he disappeared up the stairs she clutched her heart and whispered to herself. "It's not over yet."

Sleep was setting in nicely as Zuko lay on his bed thinking about the day. About Katara. About that bikini. In all honesty, Zuko was partially glad that Ethan and Airis had shown up when they had that morning. He did not know if he would have been able to keep himself in check if they had not. The last thing he wanted to do was push Katara away by pushing too hard.

"I have to show her respect," he said to himself as he turned onto his side.

His ears caught the faintest sound of his door handle being turned. Without rolling over, he continued to listen as the door slowly creaked open. Someone was coming in. They walked across the room and to the side of his bed before speaking. He could hardly believe it.

"Scoot over," Katara whispered.

In one movement he rolled over to see her and gave her enough room to join him. He just stared at her as she pulled the covers aside and slipped into his bed, her eyes never leaving his. She moved closer to him. Incredibly close. Her feet and legs brushed against his and the softness and warmth of her skin rippled through him like a shock wave.

"Katara?"

She did not speak. She simply pressed closer to him and brought their lips together. The heat and passion that had filled him in the water that morning returned with a vengeance. He placed his arm over her side and held her tightly as she maneuvered her face over his so that she could reach more of him. His other arm slipped under her as he pulled away and began to kiss her neck. She moaned lightly as his breath made her feel as though she were melting. She placed her hands on his bare chest and sat herself up. With trembling hands, she pulled her nightshirt over her head and revealed to him the white lace and dark skin that was hidden beneath.

"Katara," he whispered hoarsely. "You don't have to--"

She silenced him with another passionate kiss as her hands danced over his frame. The sensation of her tongue on his was nearly enough to drive him wild, but he continued to restrain himself. She was precious, and he would do no harm to her. She pulled her lips just off of his and panted as she spoke.

"No, I don't," she said. "But I want to. I want you."

Zuko rolled over and switched their positions until he lay gently on top of her, bracing himself up with his forearm resting on the bed next to her. He could feel her legs gently stoking his as she stared up into his eyes. There was something about them that night. She was so full of desire, and at the same time there was a trace amount of fear.

"I can't," he said. "I don't want to hurt you."

Katara only shook her head with a small smile on her lips. Her soft, warm, kissable lips. Her hands traveled up his body until they met his shoulders. She placed her hands around them and pulled him to her until her lips were right by his good ear.

"I want this," she repeated. "But if you don't then--"

It was Zuko's turn to silence her. He began to kiss the frame of her cheek and slowly he worked his way down to her neck. He took in everything in that moment. Her scent intoxicated him as his fingers moved through her soft hair. She was still trembling under his touch, but he could feel the anticipation within her. She truly wanted this, and he was ready to give it to her.

"I'll be gentle," he whispered into her skin. He pulled back just enough for her to see his face clearly. "I love you, Katara."

Tears welled up in her eyes as he spoke those words. He knew that he had never said them to her before. He knew that even though she never said so, she had been wanting to hear them. He had been so afraid to say something so strong when he was not sure if he could truly make her happy. Now in this moment, when all she wanted in the world was him, he found the strength to say what he felt. And he was ready to show her just how much. He was hers, and he would live every day grateful for that. She was his, and he every day he would treasure her.


	7. Keeping With Tradition

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar

A/N: Please note that last chapter was supposed to take place mid/late July. Zuko's birthday is in the summer.

Chapter 7

Keeping With Tradition

The party was already in full swing, and it was barely passed noon. Since around eleven o'clock, students had been showing up in groups to the biggest party of the summer. Toph was more than ready for it herself. She had been asked to stop helping set up for the party that morning after hanging the "Party Central" sign upside down at the door, and mixing the lemonade with salt instead of sugar. It was not her fault that they set the things down wrong. It the sugar had been where it was supposed to be and the sign had been set down properly, everything would have been fine. Besides, she did a great job on finding a DJ. The music was already blaring from the back porch area by the time everyone started showing up. Toph thought the volleyball net was a good touch too.

"Man, you went all out," Ethan said as he sat down next to her at the table. "They'll be talking about this for years."

"I thought that's what you wanted," Toph grinned. "There's supposed to be one of those bouncy room things on its way too, but the delivery people are either lazy or lost."

"Don't you think that's a bit much?" he asked.

"Nobody throws a party like Toph Bei Fong!" she announced proudly. "So why aren't you out there?"

"Just chillin' for a few," he said.

"Ethan!" Airis' voice called out. "Ethan, where are you? We're supposed to be getting more food out of the kitchen! I can't carry it all!"

"Break's over," he mumbled as he rose to his feet. "Hey, Toph?"

"What?"

"Thanks for lettin' us do this at your place."

Toph had barely heard what he had mumbled through the noise, but she was sure she understod him properly. As he wandered off through the crowd, Toph decided it was about time that she went and found Twinkle Toes. Much easier said than done in this crowd though.

With all of the people bouncing around, dancing, and just plain making noise, it was hard for Toph to get her bearings. The feeling of being unable to find herself in her own house was starting to irritate her. Just as she was on the verge of screaming for everyone to shut up and stop moving for a second, someone grabbed her arm.

"Lost?" Zuko's voice asked as he dragged her to the wall.

"Shouldn't you be looking for Sugar Queen?" Toph asked in return.

"I know exactly where Katara is," he replied. "She's dancing with Ty Lee right over there."

Toph searched the floor for the familiar pair of vibrations. After a few moments, she was surprised at how close together they were. It was difficult to tell where Ty Lee's vibrations began and Katara's ended.

"Wow," was what Toph finally managed to say. "She really is letting loose."

"Yeah," Zuko said somewhat absently.

"What's with you?" Toph asked. "You've been different lately. You're, I dunno, _happy_. I gotta tell ya, it's kinda creepin' me out."

"What's wrong with me being happy?" Zuko asked her.

"It's not normal," Toph laughed. "What happened?"

"Nothing!" Zuko defended. "Well, something. Just nothing I wanna talk about."

"Does it have something to do with your dancing hottie over there?"

"I told her I love her, alright?" Zuko growled.

"Now that's the Hot Head I know," Toph laughed. "Geez, most guys spit that out just to get a girl. It took you what? Two years?"

"Three," Zuko answered.

Toph just started to laugh again as the music began to change. People started shuffling around the room towards the door or the food and Toph was able to find her way towards Ty Lee and Katara. Zuko on the other hand made a beeline for the door to escape her taunts.

"This is so much fun!" Ty Lee laughed as she threw herself on Toph. "There are so many people here to play with!"

"I think that Azula's starting a game of volleyball outside," Toph hinted. Ty Lee was off like a rocket for the beach, saying something about joining Azula's team. This allowed Toph to give Katara an I-know-something-you-don't-think-I-know look. "Zuko told me what he said."

"He did?" Katara blushed.

"You two have been acting funny the last few days and it's all because he said he loves you?" Toph asked. "I don't buy that. What happened?"

"Nothing happened," Katara obviously lied.

Toph observed her friend for a moment. She was shifting her weight from side to side, and her heartbeat was steadily increasing. Of course Toph remembered feeling something similar herself when she and Aang had their serious discussions, but it never lasted for four whole days. There was something else that happened. Something just as big as an "I love you." Something . . .

"Oh!" Toph nearly yelled. She lowered her voice quickly and leaned in closer to Katara so that she would be heard. "You guys totally did it!"

"What?" Katara flushed as her heartbeat jumped again.

"You guys totally did the nasty in my summer house!" Toph repeated, grinning from ear to ear. "Katara, you dog!"

"Keep it down!" Katara exclaimed quietly as she put her hand over Toph's mouth. "That is nobody else's business!"

"Details!" Toph mumbled from behind Katara's hand, Twinkle Toes already forgotten. "Come on upstairs and give me details!"

Katara allowed herself to be pulled along behind Toph on their way to the stairs. Kuzon was there, blocking the path to anyone and everyone who did not live in the house. He wore a dangerous looking scowl on his face as they approached, but once he saw Toph and Katara his familiar smile emerged.

"Miss Toph, Miss Katara," he nodded to them. "Are you in need of a break from the festivities?"

"Something like that, Kuzon," Toph smiled. "Try to make sure no one goes near the other rooms, okay?"

"I will do my best, Miss," Kuzon replied. "Aang and the others know that you wish to keep those doors closed as well."

Safely secluded in Katara's upstairs room, Toph began to badger Katara with one embarrassing question after another.

"So what was it like?" she asked first. "Did you like it? Was it like everyone at school says? Did he do it right? How was he?"

"Toph!" Katara yelled out of sheer embarrassment.

"Just spill, Sugar Queen!"

"Okay fine," Katara replied as she tried to find a way to explain. "At first it was really awkward, you know? Then when we actually started to . . . you know . . . it hurt. A lot. But I guess you could say it was a good kind of hurt. But that was only the first time, after that--"

"First time?" Toph interrupted rather loudly. "What do you mean 'first time?' How many times have you guys done it?"

"Uh, five or six?" Katara blushed sheepishly.

"Five or six?" Toph repeated.

"Well," Katara blushed more furiously, "I liked it."

"Wow, Sweetness," Toph grinned. "When you say you're gonna let loose, you really mean it."

"Hey!"

"It's a joke!" Toph grinned. "I do that."

"Are we done here?" Katara asked, now thoroughly more embarrassed than any time in her life she could remember.

"I suppose I can let you off the hook for now," Toph nodded. "I still have to find Twinkle Toes anyway. Boy is he gonna be surprised."

"No!" Katara squeaked. "No, you can't tell anyone!"

"Relax, Sugar Queen, I was kidding. Man you're edgy!"

Toph only continued to laugh at her friend as the two of them returned to the first floor. The party did not seem to have slowed down for a second in their absence. Toph quickly lost track of Katara once she returned to the dance floor, leaving her all alone once again. It would not have been so difficult if the DJ would turn his bass down just a little bit. Every second or so and heavy vibration shook the entire floor, throwing Toph's senses off. It was going to be next to impossible to find Twinkle Toes in this mess, so instead she settled for finding the food.

Over all it was a pretty nice spread. There was everything from pizza to ice cream set out buffet style on one end of the living room. Drinks of all kinds were lined up next to a stack of cups and a bowl of punch. That punch was probably the healthiest thing there. Grabbing a cup, Toph dunked it in the punch bowl and downed the drink in one gulp.

_That's weird,_ she thought. _Thought we made fruit punch. Tastes a little funny. Oh well, must have had to make more already._

Without a second thought, Toph helped herself to another drink. Hopefully Aang would come looking for her soon and she would be able to start having some real fun. As she stood there waiting and drinking, she watched the closest sets of vibrations that she could. From what she could tell it was a boy and girl getting awfully friendly. They kept inching their way closer to the off limits door that Toph had the table placed next to. She had wanted to put it in front of the door, but was afraid that people would bump the table until it damaged the door. Just as Toph was about to do something about them, someone else stepped in.

"Sorry kids," Airis' voice said as she pried the two apart. "Not that kind of party. Don't make me get the hose."

The two grumbled as they wandered off towards the back porch, and Toph waved Airis over.

"Thanks," she said simply. She would have said more, but there was this tingling sensation going on in the back of her head.

"Don't worry about it," Airis told her. "Someone has to be the responsible one today."

"You sound like someone I know," Toph laughed. Her thoughts were coming in a bit burry and she had to pause to get them straight. "That's how Katara usually is."

"Usually?" Airis asked as she grabbed a cup and filled it with punch.

"Yeah," Toph replied grabbing her sixth refill. Or was it her seventh now? She had lost count. "This is her last year in town with everyone before college, so she decided to party hard this summer."

"Does this taste funny to you?" Airis suddenly asked.

"Yeah, I thought so too," Toph agreed, glad that it was not only her. "What is that?"

"Toph," Airis said, her voice suddenly very low. "How many cups have you had?"

"I dunno," Toph admitted. "A lot I guess."

"I think someone spiked the punch."

Toph dropped the cup onto the table. How could she have been so stupid? What else would make the punch taste funny at a high school party? Stupid stupid stupid! She stepped over to the side of the table, thankful that she was able to maintain her balance even if she was having trouble feeling the floor properly beneath her.

_At least I know I'm not drunk,_ she thought.

"No, but you do seem a little tipsy," Airis said.

"Did I say that out loud?"

"Yeah, you did," Airis confirmed.

Great. Now she could not even tell what she was thinking and what she was saying. She needed to sit down. She needed to get something in her stomach other than the alcoholic punch. Why was it every time she threw a party, something stupid had to happen?

"Hey, ladies," a suave voice came. "Wanna dance?"

Toph did not know who this guy was, but he was the last thing she needed right now. She held up her hand and shook her head. Big mistake. All of the swishing, dizziness that was being held in check hit her like a freight train in that moment. In that one second when she was unbalanced, Toph stumbled forward right into the arms of the guy she was trying to turn away. Unfortunately, he took this as an invitation.

"Whoa, sweetheart," he said. "I'm not going anywhere."

Toph tried to push him away, but her arms felt heavy and numb. How much had she drunk? How long had she been drinking it?

"Excuse me," Airis intervened. "I don't think--"

"Relax, pretty lady," the boy told her. "You can go next."

Airis was desperate to keep this from happening. Toph needed air and food, not someone to be leading her around on the dance floor.

"No, you don't understand. She doesn't want to--"

"Lemme go, jerk!" Toph barked.

"Feisty!" he replied. "I like that! No sense playing hard to get when you just jumped into my arms though, sweetheart."

"Please, just leave her alone," Airis said. "I'll dance with you, but she needs to sit down."

"I said you'll get your turn," the boy said more roughly.

"I believe the lady said no," Ethan said as he approached.

Ethan placed his hand on the taller boy's shoulder and started to pull him away. The young man turned quickly and knocked Ethan across the face. Unprepared for such a physical response, Ethan hit the ground. Airis took hold of Toph's hand and tried to pull her free, but the boy turned on her as well.

"You aren't going to get a turn if you don't back off," he said smugly.

Ethan's hand suddenly appeared on the boy's hand that was still holding Toph. He gripped it tightly and smiled from behind his lazy looking eyes.

"Fun fact," he said as he took hold of the boy's thumb. "Did you know you can take a man twice your size down by doing this to their thumb?"

Ethan bent the boy's thumb backwards, causing him to release Toph and begin to pull away from Ethan. Ethan just continued to bend the thumb until the boy was nearly to his knees.

"Let go!" the boy finally said.

"That really looks like it hurts," Ethan said lazily. "Tell you what. Agree to leave the house and the party, and I'll let you go."

"Fine!" the boy replied. "Just let go!"

Ethan released the boy from the torturous thumb hold of death and stepped back. He might not have been a fighter, but he knew better than to just trust someone to leave when they were angry. Sure enough the boy did not leave. He just stared a hole through Ethan as though he were plotting how to break him. As the boy made his first step forward, Ethan just continued to watch him with the same unchanging expression. Not afraid, not intimidated, and not moving from where he stood. The only thing on his mind was what was wrong with the blind girl if she was not using her martial arts to protect herself right now.

The kid took another step closer. Then another. He was standing only inches away and had that look in his eyes that said "I'm going to pound this guy." Ethan still just stood there, not faltering for a moment.

"You would do well to step away from them right now," a girl's voice said.

Ethan looked over the boy's shoulder to see Azula and Ty Lee standing there, both with their arms crossed. Ty Lee had a frown on her face, clearly trying to be intimidating, but failing miserably. Azula on the other hand was a blank slate. Her ice cold eyes seemed to be penetrating everything in their scope of vision.

"And what are you going to do if I don't?" the boy asked.

Azula stepped in until her nose practically touched the boy's and she gave him a full blast of the intensity in her eyes.

"You don't want to know what I'm going to do to you."

The boy only blinked a few times before swallowing hard. Toph watched his vibrations with amusement as he began to step away from Azula. She sure did have a way with people. Before he was able to storm off and shoot everyone dirty looks, Toph felt the familiar presence of Kuzon plant himself in front of the boy.

"What do you want, old man?"

"I am here to make sure you leave," Kuzon answered.

The boy did not seem to want to make anymore enemies than he already had and allowed Kuzon to escort him out the front door. Toph breathed a sigh of relief after the fact. Not because the boy was gone. She kind of wished he had stayed so that she could find out what Azula was planning on doing to him. She was more relieved that the lightheaded feeling was beginning to dissipate. Her stomach was not too happy, but she figured as soon as she had some food it would shut up.

"You would have lost," Azula said bluntly to Ethan.

"Not the point now, is it?" he asked.

"You knew someone would come and help."

"And if I did?"

"Then you are more intelligent than you appear to be," Azula remarked. "Don't expect me to come save you again."

With that, she and Ty Lee wandered back to wherever they had come from.

"Is she always so nice?" Airis asked.

"Actually no," Toph replied with an honest grin. "She must be having a real good time if she's feeling nice enough to help someone."

"Are you going to be okay?" Ethan asked.

"Just gimme a plate and get outta my way," Toph ordered as she stood up.

The smell of the food had been calling to her ever since she had found out what she had been drinking, and nothing was going to stop her from filling her stomach. She figured that if Kuzon did not already know what had happened, it was best not to tell him. No sense getting him worked up over spiked beverages. He would probably call an end to the party and kick everyone out. She would tell him afterwards. She would have to make sure that someone dumped that punch though.


	8. More Change

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar

Chapter 8

More Change

He felt so ashamed of himself. How could he have let that happen? Granted nothing did happen, but still. The one time she actually needed him to be there and he was not there for her. After one week, Aang still could not let go of what he had done, or in this case what he had _not_ done.

The party had been in full swing for at least an hour. Rather than sit inside and gradually lose his hearing to the loud music, Aang had made his escape out to the beach. The music was not much quieter out there, but at least he was not being squished between people he did not know. It was then that he had first spotted Azula tearing up the volleyball court with Ty Lee. The two of them were decimating each pair of opponents that challenged them. Ty Lee's speed and agility paired with Azula's ruthless aggression and precision went unmatched for three games before Aang decided to try his hand.

He had no idea who his partner was, but he had a feeling that even with an entire team on his side of the net there was no way they were going to win. Sure enough, Azula and Ty Lee trounced them. Not being one to give up, Aang found another partner and tried again. Besides, it was so much fun playing against the two of them. Azula actually looked like she was enjoying herself by the time he and a third partner had lost to them.

"Don't you know when you're outmatched?" she asked him with a victorious smile.

"Yup," he smiled to her in return. "Wanna go again?"

"Azula, can we take a break first?" Ty Lee asked. "I'm getting thirsty."

"Maybe later," Azula told him as she and Ty Lee walked towards the house. Aang only continued to smile. For someone so mean and cold, Azula had a nice side when she was in a good mood.

No longer having someone to pummel him at the volleyball net, Aang began to look for other things to occupy his time. The Bounce Palace that Toph had ordered on a last minute whim that morning had finally arrived and was ready to go, so he headed off in that direction. Aang was the first one in line. As a matter of fact, he was the only one in line. Apparently everyone else thought that it was a bit childish.

_Oh well,_ he thought. _More fun for me!_

Aang threw himself against the walls of the Bounce Palace and belly flopped on the floor. The room bounced right along with him and his laughter could be heard as he jumped for the ceiling. He drew so much attention to himself that people were starting to come over and watch him. He began doing tightly tucked flips and rolls through the air and his audience began to clap and laugh at his acrobatics.

"Don't just watch!" he said. "Come in and try it!"

A few people took him up on the offer. Soon the Bounce Palace had a line that stretched nearly to the house. Of course Aang being Aang left the bouncy room soon after in order to give the next person in line his place. He had not really wanted to get out yet, but fair was fair. The music was still blaring from the house as he walked out to the water and dove head first into it. The realization that he was still wearing his jeans and t-shirt did not occur to him until after the fact.

"Having fun?" he heard someone ask.

It was a boy about his age. He was nearly as short as Toph with sun cooked skin. Clear evidence that the boy spent a lot of time outside at the beach. Well, that and the surfboards. He stood the two boards up in the sand as he sat himself down and crossed his legs.

"Liking the party?" Aang asked him.

"Totally thrillin' and chillin'," the boy replied.

"Nice boards."

"You surf?" he asked.

"Never have before," Aang answered.

"Wanna?"

Aang's eyes lit up at the prospect. Soon he was lying down on one of the two boards as the boy held it steady in the water. Aang paddled and kicked as he was instructed and soon he jumped up onto his feet and balanced with ease on the stationary board.

"You got some good balance there, Aang."

"Thanks," Aang replied. "I didn't catch your name."

"Oh, just call me Dude," Dude grinned. "Everyone does. You're a lot quicker than most landers."

"So what comes next?"

"We try to catch you a wave, bra!"

They spent at least an hour out in the water. Aang could not remember a day that he had done so much. It was not until he could feel the wrinkles forming on his skin that he decided it was probably time to head back in. With a grateful handshake and goodbye to Dude, Aang and his wet clothes climbed their way back up the beach and towards the house. If the number of people at the party had dwindled at all, it was not noticeable. It took Aang plenty of time to find Toph sitting in a chair near the buffet table, and then he heard what had happened. He had been moping around in a guilty depression ever since.

"When are you gonna stop, Twinkle Toes?" Toph asked him.

"Stop what?"

"This emo stuff! You're turning into Zuko right before my eyes, and I can't even see!"

"Toph, I--"

"No! You listen up, Air Head. This is supposed to be a vacation, and you're being a total buzz kill. Either be happy and annoying like you usually are, or I'm gonna have to hurt you."

"But I let you down."

For a moment, Toph just stood there with that exasperated look on her face. She closed her eyes and rubbed between them with her thumb and index finger. As she sat down beside him on the couch he was currently emo-ing on, she turned her face so he could look her in the eye.

"You didn't let me down," she said simply. "What happened happened, and that's all. I don't need you to protect me, and I would have been fine without Lazy Boy and Psycho Chick too. You're not always going to be there when I need help. You have to get over that.

"Remember New Years? How you got yourself 'kasploded', as Snoozles put it? This is just like that. Something neither of us saw coming that just happened. We deal and move on, remember?"

"How do you know you're going to be able to count on me when you need to if I can't even help you when we're at the same house?" Aang asked as he hung his head.

"You wanna know how I know?" she asked as she rose to her feet. "Come here."

Toph took hold of his hand and pulled him up from the couch. She dragged him across the room to the locked doors she had ordered everyone to ignore. Off to the side of the door was a small, oak stand with a few tiny drawers on it. Toph pulled open the top drawer and pulled out a little brass key. With her hand shaking slightly, Toph undid the lock and pushed the door open.

Everything was white. At least that was Aang's first impression. In actuality there were drape cloths laid down over everything. Aang could make out the shapes of a long coffee table, two chairs and what looked like a cabinet of some sort. There was something else too. A large piece of furniture near the window by some empty bookcases.

"I didn't think I'd ever come back in here," Toph said as she pulled the cloth off of one of the chairs. As she pulled the cloths off of the other chair and the table, Aang could see a strange look in her eyes. A look of sadness, but not pain. "I miss the sound."

Toph crossed the room to the large object Aang could not identify and pulled off the sheet. A grand piano sat lonesomely in the corner as Toph ran her fingers over its smooth black surface. She smiled a smile that matched the sadness in her eyes. Aang moved to her side and placed his hand on hers.

"What is this room?" he asked.

"Dad's," she answered. "He used to spend almost all of his vacation time in here. Back when I was small he would bring me in here and sit me up on this piano and he'd play for me. Those were the best summers of my life."

"What happened?" Aang asked after a pause.

"I almost died." Toph felt her throat clench. She had never told him about his before. Other than her parents, Ty Lee, and Kuzon, no one even knew. "I almost drowned out in the water. I walked out of the house and down to the beach one afternoon a few years ago. I liked the way the warm sand felt on my feet, and I wanted to get down to the shore. You know, where the water washes over your feet? When I finally found the water, I decided I wanted to see how far out I could get. I didn't even think about the tide being able to pull me out."

"And when it did, that was when it happened," Aang finished.

"Yeah. Kuzon was the one who saved me. That's when Dad stopped brining me out here." Toph's voice was so far away when she had said that. Almost as if she was sorry she had suggested coming out to the summer house at all. "Funny thing is, I'm not afraid of this place or the water like I thought I'd be. I just really miss the music." Aang turned her to face him and wrapped his arms around her. She laid her head on him and smiled as he rocked from side to side. "See? This is how I know I can count on you. You're always here when it _really_ matters."

"So," Aang said. "What's under the last sheet?"

"Why don't you go find out?" she smiled.

Quick as a flash, Aang did not even try to hide his curiosity and enthusiasm as he tore the sheet down. Beneath it was hidden a large glass display case that held numerous instruments. On one shelf was a violin, polished to perfection. On another, he noticed a small harmonica lined with silver. Off to the side of the shelves but still within the case stood an acoustic guitar. But above all else, another instrument captured Aang's attention. On the third shelf from the top lay a small, hand carved, intricately detailed wooden flute. Its beauty held him captive as he stared at it. The trance it held on him was not broken until he felt Toph leaning her elbow into his arm.

"Can I . . ?"

"Go ahead, Twinkle Toes," she told him.

Aang carefully pulled open the glass door to the case and held the flute in his hands. He rolled it over and turned it side to side in order to take in every detail of it. It was absolutely majestic in his eyes. As he played with it, he could feel Toph turning him around and putting her arms around his waist.

"Like it?" she asked.

"It's great," he answered distractedly.

"You can have it if you want." He turned his eyes on her in disbelief. "There's only one condition."

Judging by the smile she was wearing, Aang could tell just what she was going to ask for. He wrapped his arms around her lovingly and began to kiss her lips tenderly. He stepped forward, she stepped back. Another kiss, another step. Slowly but surely, Aang backed Toph up to her father's piano. Once they reached it, he placed his hands down on her hips and sat her upon it. She let out a quiet squeak, followed by a light laugh as he kissed her again. As she released him from her embrace, Aang pressed his forehead to hers and lifted the flute to his lips.

Toph felt the melody of Aang's song begin to flow through her. It was a strong one this time. One that stood alone like a solitary wanderer. As the notes drifted through the air and enveloped Toph in their beauty, she laid herself back on the piano's cool surface and allowed her mind to play her the story of Aang's song. It was not long before she could feel the others in the house coming to listen to the music as well.

_That's fine,_ she thought. _I don't wanna shut them outta here anymore anyway._

Ty Lee was the first one to come in. The sister that she never asked for, but was glad that she had. Even if she was a little annoying most of the time. Next came Katara and Zuko. Having Katara in her life was so much like having an older sister, or a second mom in most cases. Of course with Katara came Sokka, the brilliantly idiotic older brother. Zuko was like that too sometimes, but he was a lot easier to put up with. Zuko was someone that Toph knew could relate to the feelings she had as a kid. Kuzon followed not long after, and with him he carried a tray of drinks. For as far back as Toph could remember Kuzon had been a part of her life. In a lot of ways he was more of a father to her rather than a servant.

Aang's song continued to play even as Kuzon sat the drink tray down on the coffee table. Kuzon sat himself at the piano bench where he reached up and stroked Toph's hair. There were not many times he would be so openly loving with her as he was with Ty Lee, and Toph allowed him the gesture. His hands fell delicately upon the keys of the piano and very gently he joined Aang's melody. The interaction between Aang's flute and Kuzon's piano was a harmony that brought relief and joy to Toph's soul. Suddenly, the lone wanderer in her mind was no longer alone, but joined by the people who loved her. A smile tugged on Toph's lips.

Apparently, the harmonious tunes were enticing enough to even bring Azula into the music room. She stood in the doorway for the longest time before actually coming in. She had a harshness about her, but Toph respected that. Just like her, Azula did not sugar coat things to spare people's feelings. Whether Azula was willing to admit it or not, the two of them were a lot alike, and that was one of the reasons Toph was glad Azula was beginning to open up. Even if it was just a little bit at a time.

As Toph pondered these thoughts, another sound joined with the music of her two boys. A sound so sad that it tore through her soul. Tears fought their way to the surface only to be blocked by Toph's will at the sound of Azula's expert hands on the violin. The sadness of the violin accompanying the two other instruments brought true life to the music. Hope, sadness, joy, love. Toph did not know how long they played, or how long they sat there listening, but it ended all too soon.

"That was beautiful," Katara whispered.

"It made me feel so many things," Ty Lee agreed as she joined Azula by the music case.

"I didn't know you could play," Zuko said to his sister.

"Yes well, there's a lot about me that you don't know."

As the group began to leave for the living room, Kuzon and Aang stayed behind with Toph.

"Thank you," she said with a weak smile.

"Are you alright, Miss?"

"Yeah," she answered. "I just kinda miss Dad right now."

"I think maybe it's time we went home," Aang said.

Toph only nodded her head as the two of them walked her into the living room.

- - - -

Ten o'clock was not as early as the last time they had hit the road, but Toph still wanted to go back to bed. The cars were loaded and the doors to the house were locked by the time Ethan and Airis arrived. The phone calls they had received about Toph and her friends leaving on such short notice had gotten them out of bed and on their way in a hurry.

"I can't believe you're leaving so soon," Airis said with a sad smile.

"It's for the best, really," Katara smiled back as she gave Airis a hug. "I still need to get ready for my new school, and I'm sure everyone else has a lot of things to get prepared for too."

"We're really going to miss you guys," Airis said, hugging Toph. "You'll come back and visit, right?"

"You can expect us again next summer," Toph grinned.

"So soon?" Ethan replied with lazy sarcasm as he shook Zuko and Kuzon's hands. "Man, you're gonna smother us if you keep visiting so often."

"If someone isn't here to keep you out of trouble, you might not last until next summer," Azula said offhandedly. "Say hi to your friend for me."

"Next time, we'll have an even bigger party!" Aang announced. "It'll be such a blast, it'll be kasplosion level!"

"'Kasplosion'?" Ethan asked, turning to Azula.

"Don't ask," she groaned.

"I'm really gonna miss you guys too!" Ty Lee whined as she held both Ethan and Airis is a rib cracking hug. "You won't forget me will you?"

"No," Ethan managed to groan through the air stealing grip.

"We'll miss you too, Ty Lee," Airis agreed, gasping for breath.

Kuzon pulled her away, allowing Ethan and Airis to breathe again, as he ushered her towards the car.

"It is time to leave," he announced. "It was a pleasure meeting you both."

"Bye everyone," Airis waved, holding back tears. "Keep in touch! You all have my number!"

"See ya," Ethan waved, considerably less enthusiastically.

"Don't worry," Toph grinned as she hopped in the car and stuck her head out the window. "I'll be sure to write!"

- - - -

"The children are on their way home today," Lao announced as he discarded a tile.

"Yeah, Katara called me last night," Hakoda said. "I'm glad. We're not going to have much more time before she leaves. Then again, that means less mahjong time with you guys," he laughed.

"I wonder why they decided to come home so soon," Iroh said. "Kong."

"Aang mentioned something about Toph becoming homesick," Gyatso said while drawing up a tile. "Riichi."

"Homesick?" Lao repeated. "That doesn't sound like Toph at all."

"Every child misses their home once in a while," Iroh said sagely. "Perhaps it is not so much the home that she misses as the people who live there."

Before Lao could respond, Meng came to the table with the phone in her hand and tapped Iroh on the shoulder.

"It's for you, sir," she said. "A lady named Ming."

"Oh, thank you," Iroh smiled as he rose. "I am sorry, but I have to take this."

"By all means," Gyatso nodded.

"Hello, Ming my dear!" Iroh greeted the woman. "How are you doing? Ah, that's good. And the girls? Wonderful! I was just sitting down with some of my friends and we-- What's that? Oh. Oh my. Yes. Yes, I understand. No, don't apologize. Thank you very much for informing me. Yes, I will do that. Yes, Ming, you take care as well. Thank you again. Goodbye."

"What was that all about?" Hakoda asked as Iroh handed Meng the phone. "Sounds like your lady friend had some bad news. She cancel a date maybe?" he grinned.

"I'm afraid it's nothing so easily dismissed," Iroh said with a serious look in his eyes. "Ming is a dear friend of mine. She is a police officer at the local station and she keeps me informed on a few various important personal matters."

"And this call had something to do with one of those matters?" Lao asked. "Is something wrong."

"I certainly hope not," Iroh replied. "It was about my brother, Ozai."

"The one who murdered his wife?" Hakoda asked. "I thought he was locked up."

"Yes, he is," Iroh said. "Unfortunately, he is not to be in prison for much longer. He is being moved to a secured psychological facility here in the city where a specialist believes they can help him."

"Help him?" Hakoda roared. "How do you help a murdering alcoholic?"

"I am not so concerned with that," Iroh said. "I'm more concerned for the children."


	9. Thank You

I hope you all enjoyed the summer adventures of the Gaang! As the last chapter of the story obviously indicates, this series is not yet over! Be on the look out for the third installment of this series entitled "The Hardships of Change."

Aang begins his new scholastic career at the public school with both familiar and new faces. Toph takes on the role of Martial Arts Captain and gets a few new club members that shake things up a bit. Katara's new life as a med student finally takes off, but where does that leave Zuko? How about our favorite little anti-socialist Azula? Will she keep to her word and start spending more time with Ty Lee and Mai? Don't forget about Sokka and Suki!

Thank you all again for your reviews and kind words. I look forward to seeing all of you again soon!


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